How a Dementia App Helps Seniors Remember

By Melissa Hill, 9:00 am on September 12, 2016

Age-related dementia can cause general cognitive decline, but many seniors with dementia are distressed by their loss of memory. New technology is being designed to allow seniors with dementia to tap into their treasured memories. A recently developed app called “Remember Me!” is particularly promising because it combines memory assistance with GPS tracking in order to bridge the gap between seniors and their Oklahoma dementia caregivers.

Remember Me! was developed by a group of graduate students at Cornell University in New York because all of the students had loved someone who was living with memory loss. Karthik Venkataramaiah, one of the developers, explains that they decided to create an app that could help jog senior memories. To make the app, the team of engineers consulted with people who had dementia and their support systems.

The app works through a combination of stored information and pictures and it requires everyone in the senior’s social circle to download the app. All of these people form a group for the senior, and when his or her smartphone GPS senses that a group member is nearby, it alerts the senior. Once the two group members are by each other, the phone lets the senior know the name and relationship of the other person. It shows the pictures and reminds him or her of previous conversations and facts about the person he or she is talking to. If a person in the group texts or calls the senior, this information will also pop up on the senior’s phone.

The app is still in early stages, but the developers hope to add more functions. They plan to include reminders for important life events and include language-processing techniques to assist the senior in conversations. It is currently just for Android smartphones, but an iOS version is also being developed. Family, friends, and Oklahoma home caregivers of seniors with dementia will be able to buy this app once it is launched commercially.

Mobile phone apps aren’t the only resources available to seniors with cognitive disorders. Home Care Assistance is the leading provider of Alzheimer’s and dementia home care in Oklahoma. We provide flexible memory care for seniors of varying stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia to boost mental function, delay memory loss, and promote longevity and wellbeing. Learn more about our cognitive services by calling 405-285-4191 today to speak with a trusted Care Manager.